The present invention relates to a molding for use with an automobile and a process for manufacturing the same.
The conventional molding for use with an automobile generally comprises a molding body and a pair of weir members. The molding body has a leg portion to be installed into a clearance between the circumferential edge of the windshield and the automobile body, and a covering portion which comprises an outer covering portion contactable with the automobile body and an inner covering portion contactable with the windshield. Each of the weir members is mounted on the lower surface of the inner covering portion of the molding body so as to extend along each of front pillars of the automobile body.
The molding is installed in the clearance between the circumferential edge of the windshield and the automobile body. At the molding body adjacent to a roof panel of the automobile body, the peripheral edge of the inner covering portion is closely seated on the outside surface of the windshield. At the molding body adjacent to the front pillar, the weir member is closely seated on the outside surface of the windshield, thereby to form a guide groove along the front pillar of the automobile. The guide groove may act as a leading groove to effectively lead the rainwater or the like therealong.
Such a conventional molding is found, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 63-212121.
As shown in FIGS. 19 to 21, in the molding disclosed in Japanese Publication No. 63-212121, the lower surface of the inner covering portion 513 of the molding body 511 is formed with a thin groove 515 and the weir member 522 is longitudinally formed with a lip portion 522a. The weir member 522 is mounted on the lower surface of the inner covering portion 513 by engaging the lip portion 522a with the thin groove 515. Further, the lip portion 522a generally has a width greater than that of the thin groove 515 so that the peripheral edge 513a of the inner covering portion 513 is lifted up when the lip portion 522a is engaged with the thin groove 515.
A problem usually associated with the prior art molding as described in Japanese Publication No. 63-212121 is that as best shown in FIG. 19, the thin groove 515 extends throughout the entire length of the molding body 511. Therefore, when the molding is installed in the clearance between the circumferential edge of the windshield 515 and the automobile body 501, with the molding body 511 bent along an arcuate portion C5 of the automobile body 501, the inner covering portion 513 is partly floated or wrinkled at the bent portion of the molding body 511, thereby to form a clearance between the inner covering portion 513 of the molding body 511 and the outer surface of the windshield 505 at the bent portion of the molding body 511. This may cause entry of rainwater into the clearance between the circumferential edge of the windshield 515 and the automobile body 501. This may also lead to undesirable awkward appearance of the molding body.
As will be appreciated, compressive stress will be produced when the molding body 511 is bent along the arcuate portion C5 of the automobile body 501. Such compressive stress is concentrated on the thin groove 515 of the inner covering portion 513 at the bent portion of the molding body 511, thereby causing the floating or wrinkling of the inner covering portion 513 at the bent portion of the molding body 511.